Most of the sandstorms that had swept China last year came from foreign land, a Chinese official in charge of desertification(荒漠化) control said on Monday. And the invasions(入侵)could partly explain the frequent sandstorms in the country in recent years despite its achievements in desertification control.

Since the start of last spring, the north and northwestern Chinese regions had been hit by 17 sandstorms, of which, a dozen came from foreign land.

Situated in the central Asia sandstorm region, one of the world’s four largest sandstorm sources, China also suffers from sandstorms from outside the country while being blamed as a sand source to northeast Asia. The other three major sources are in Africa, North America and Australia.

The land suffering from desertification has been decreasing by 7,585 square kilometres annually in China, and the area of sandy land has also been falling by 1,284 square kilometres a year.

The shrinkage(收缩)forms a clear contrast to the fact that the land suffering from desertification and sandy feature was added by 10,400 square kilometers and 3,436 square kilometers late last century, respectively.

Currently, the desertification land in China makes up 2.64 million square kilometres, accounting for 27.46 percent of the nation’s land, and its sandy land totals 1.74 million square kilometres, accounting for 18.1 percent of the country’s total.

1.What does the underlined word “decreasing” mean in Paragraph 4?

A. Going down. B. Going up.

C. Coming from. D. Taking up.

2.Where do most of the sandstorms in China come from?

A. The northwestern Chinese regions. B. The northern Chinese regions.

C. The western part of China. D. Foreign countries.

3.Which of the following is believed to be the sand source to northeast Asia?

A. Mongolia. B. Africa.

C. China. D. Australia.

4.What can we infer from this passage?

A. The land in China suffering from desertification has been increasing greatly.

B. China has made achievements in its own desertification control.

C. The desertification land makes up nearly half of China’s territory.

D. Little progress has been made in controlling desertification in China.

There is one type of illness in the world that has a severe effect on more people than anything else and is very deadly. If untreated, this illness could affect everything you do. What is this illness? Depression. Serious depression requires professional treatment. Self-induced depression is something each of us can change.

Everyone’s circumstances are different, but the causes of self-induced depression are common: low self-esteem, hurtful thinking and a bad attitude.

So how can we change the way we think, feel, and have a cheerful attitude?

First we must look at ourselves, truly and honestly examining our motives for what we wish to accomplish. If you are dissatisfied because you feel you haven’t or can’t do anything, then one step is needed—to set goals.

Always start your goals relatively small and easy to attain. Think of them as sand; one grain may be insignificant(微不足道的) but as a group they form the beach. Once you have set and attained small goals for yourself, move on to slightly larger, more challenging goals.It takes not just setting goals but positive thinking. How can we obtain this?

There are a number of factors that can make us think negatively and one of those is diet.In my opinion, a person who eats a lot of take-out and fast food is feeding their body junk. Start by eating better foods which give the body much NEEDED minerals. If your physical body is happy, it’s much easier for your mental body or “thinking ability” to be happy.[

Next, exercise. Half an hour a day is recommended for positive well-being. Then think about good memories you had, or generally think of things that make you smile. Remember, everything you wear costs money but to wear a smile is free. A smile can be the difference between an average day and a great day.

If you follow these steps, positive change is on the way.

1.Which of the statements about depression is TRUE?

A. Depression is a kind of illness that can’t be cured like some cancer.

B. Depression can all be cured successfully by doctors in an easy way.

C. Those who suffer from depression live in the same circumstances.

D. Those who suffer from depression hold negative attitudes.

2.According to the passage we can learn that ________.

A. a practical goal can help people to achieve a sense of success

B. we shouldn’t be satisfied with small goals that are insignificant

C. we should avoid challenging goals that may result in failure

D. people can enjoy happiness even if they set inappropriate goals

3.What can we infer from the reading passage?

A. Those who can achieve small goals can surely achieve big ones.

B. Depression has something to do with the food people eat.

C. You can only exercise half an hour if you want to get rid of depression.

D. Smile makes no sense to the feeling in daily life.

With environmentalists pointing to the use of coal, oil and other fossil fuels as adding to the problem of global warming, the world is rushing to find other more environmentally friendly energy sources. Many countries are looking to nuclear power as the answer to their energy needs. Those who support using nuclear power point to the fact that the process for creating nuclear power produces huge quantities of electricity without producing any greenhouse gases. It seems to be the safest and most environmentally safe method for producing the largest amount of power, much more than solar or wind energy sources.

However, despite the many advantages of nuclear power, there are many groups who strongly advise against the use of nuclear power. Some groups point to concerns about possible terrorist attacks on nuclear plants or possible nuclear accidents that might result in widespread disaster. However, strange as it seems, many of the strongest voices against nuclear power are actually environmentalists, who oppose nuclear power because they claim it results in more greenhouse gases.

It may seem impossible, but in fact both facts are true: nuclear production itself produces no greenhouse gases, but nuclear power does, in fact, lead to the production of many greenhouse gases. How is this possible? The actual production of nuclear power does not let off any greenhouse gases at all; this is the fact that most governments and nuclear power companies point to, and it is, indeed, correct. However, those who oppose nuclear power point out the bigger problem: building and maintaining the nuclear power stations, mining the material used to produce the nuclear power and getting rid of the nuclear waste all create greenhouse gases, the very thing that nuclear power is supposed to avoid. The final point that environmentalists point out is that nuclear power is not a long-term solution to energy. One day uranium, the resource needed for producing nuclear power, will be at an end, the same problem the world is facing with coal and oil today.

1.What are many countries relying on to satisfy their energy needs according to the passage?

A. Coal. B. Oil.

C. Nuclear power. D. Other fossil fuels.

2.What disadvantages relating to the use of nuclear power are mentioned in the passage?

A. No greenhouse gases.

B. Killing more plants.

C. Widespread disasters and more greenhouse gases.

D. Making other energy sources not function well.

3.What’s the writer’s attitude towards the use of nuclear power?

A. Optimistic. B. Indifferent(漠不关心).

C. Pessimistic. D. Objective（客观的）.

4.Why do some environmentalists point out that nuclear power is not a long term solution to energy?

A. Because the resource for producing nuclear power will come to an end someday.

B. Because they think nuclear power gives off too many greenhouse gases.

C. Because the world is facing coal and oil shortages now.

D. Because more and more people are opposed to the use of nuclear power.

An artist in Bogota, Colombia is using his skills to aid the homeless. Greg Kloehn builds very small shelters that make life on the streets a little more comfortable. The structures offer the homeless some safety and protection from bad weather. Each little house also has wheels on the bottom so it can go wherever its owner goes.

Greg Kloehn has given away at least 20 tiny houses. Several are on the roadside near an active railroad. On a recent day, Mr. Kloehn stops at one to visit Oscar Young. The two men hug. Inside his little shelter Mr. Young gets relief from cold nights on the streets. Mr. Kloehn also visits Sweet-Pea, another friend who also lives in one of the little homes the artist built. She says it keeps her safe and protects her belongings.

In the mornings, Mr. Kloehn searches the streets for building materials. He gathers what he can and takes it to his studio. There, he puts the houses together. Empty coffee bags become roof material. A washing machine door and refrigerator part become windows. Nails, screws and the sticky glue hold all the pieces together. The artist also attaches a small electrical device to the house. The device is powered by the sun.

Some of the people living on the streets once had normal houses of their own. But some of the people say they have learned to live with the homeless and they are thankful to that man.

Mr. Kloehn says his work is not a social project. He says he is just someone applying his skills to helping his homeless neighbors.

1.The following are the advantages of the small shelters except ________.

A. saving power and energy

B. protecting possessions of the homeless

C. decorating the streets where they are

D. keeping the homeless safe and comfortable

2.We can learn from the passage that ________.

A. Greg Kloehn has sold at least 20 tiny houses

B. an act of kindness has made people simple and grateful

C. The shelters are immovable

D. The government has got involved in the action

3.The passage is likely taken from ________.

A. an official report B. an art review

C. a fictional brochure D. a news report

4.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A. An artist creates homes for the homeless.

B. A more comfortable shelter on the streets.

C. A successful social project in Bogota.

D. An artist makes a living by designing small shelters.

My daughter performed on behalf of her class in the annual school concert today. She played so ____ that I could not help cheering her. The very ____ reminded me of her experiences of piano practicing.

When she was five, we gave her a piano as a birthday present. With great____,she began learning it. However, when she was no longer ____,she became sick of it.____,it is a tough job to learn the piano, not to mention the daily routine (常规) of ____.

When her first teacher left, my friend ____ me to an American teacher whose way of teaching was completely American. After practicing, she would give my daughter some____ comments, and then point out what should be ___.Every time she came,____ beginning the lesson right away, she would first play some ____.She said, “To learn the piano, you should learn not only the ____ of playing, but more importantly, to ____ the music and love it.”

After some time, my daughter became fond of her lessons. Sometimes she ___ would like to_____ a little bit when her skill had reached a certain level.

Surprisingly, my daughter said to me one day, “Mom, I was ____ that you didn’t give up my piano lessons. Learning it is like climbing a mountain. You’ll feel ____ when you are on the way. When you look ____ from the top, you will realize that you have been making____.But if you ___,you’ll never take one more step.” That was the very thing I wanted to teach her.

1.A. regularly B. smoothly C. carefully D. happily

2.A. music B. scene C. arrangement D. praise

3.A. excitement B. pressure C. regret D. unwillingness

4.A. young B. free C. curious D. enthusiastic

5.A. After all B. Above all C. In all D. First of all

6.A. cost B. practice C. education D. show

7.A. led B. sent C. directed D. introduced

8.A. usual B. interesting C. good D. humorous

9.A. explained B. changed C. stopped D. improved

10.A. as with B. instead of C. except for D. thanks to

11.A. music B. jokes C. games D. sports

12.A. materials B. skills C. training D. secrets

13.A. create B. follow C. feel D. read

14.A. once B. then C. still D. even

15.A. make up B. look back C. show off D. give away

16.A. nervous B. lucky C. afraid D. astonished

17.A. tired B. easy C. embarrassed D. excited

18.A. out B. off C. down D. over

19.A. mistakes B. choices C. progress D. time

20.A. stop B. continue C. do D. move

I can well remember that I was once asked to deliver a speech titled “A Real Test in My Life” before the whole class at the age of 9! You can imagine how 1. (terrible) shy I was with so many eyes 2. (fix) upon me. I had no 3. (choose) but to prepare for it, though. First of all, I was to draft the speech, which was just a piece of cake for me, a good writer. But the hardest part 4. (lie) in my oral presentation from my memory— for to read from the paper was not allowed. The real moment began 5. I stood on the platform with my legs trembling and my mind blank. But my listeners were waiting patiently without any signs of rushing me. Otherwise, I 6. (run) away from them. Gradually I found myself back, delivering my speech with difficulty. After what seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding— I made 7.! From then on, my fear of talking before an audience disappeared. Actually with my 8. (confident) building up, I now turn out to be a great speaker. Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on our way 9. success is our fear. Overcome it 10. we will be able to achieve our goals.

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

I began to look for work after I finished the school last year. Now several month later, I still didn’t find the job I was interested. Last Sunday morning I received a call from a man calling him Mr. Smith. He said to me in the phone, “I hear you do very well in your studies, but I may have a job for you.” When I entered his office I felt very nervous with a beaten heart. How I hoped I would get through the job hunting talk and she would accept me as a lab assistant. But to my surprised, what he said was disappointed. He only needed a model.

假设你是李华，作为交换生去美国洛杉矶学习生活了两周。在此期间，你住在Brown夫妇家中，他们为你提供吃住行及旅行方面的帮助。请你给他们写一封感谢信，主要内容如下;1.表示感谢 2.表达感受 3 欢迎来访4 保持联系。

注意1 次数100左右 2 信的开头和结尾已经写好

Dear Mr and Mrs Brown,

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Faithfully yours,

Li Hua

Not too long ago, our teacher, being a “tree-hugger”(as the kids call her), had us write an essay on an environmental issue. I was eager to start, but something made me stop.

“What is an environmental issue?” one kid asked. “What if we don’t care about the environment?” another complained. “It’s not like it affects me.”

These comments astounded me. I have always cared about the environment and assumed that others did too. From the surprised look on my teacher’s face, I could tell she felt the same way.

In no time, I finished my essay. In my essay I wrote about logging(伐木), which is an important industry, but if we continue to cut down trees without replacing, it will damage the environment.

There are so many things that we can do to save our world. Recycling, of course, is always a good thing, but not everyone has a recycling plant nearby (I don’t). There are other ways to help the environment. Plant a tree. Don’t waste water.

I can’t stand it when a person’s excuse for not caring is “Nothing is going to happen in my lifetime, so why should I care?” Sure, the chances of something terrible happening are slim, but I want people to realize that if we don’t deal with it, someone will have to eventually. Do you want that to be your children? Or your children’s children?

When my teacher told me to read my essay to my class, I was a little embarrassed because I didn’t want everyone to call me “tree-hugger”. I realize now that if being a tree-hugger means you care about the environment, I’m a tree-hugger 100 percent. I just wish more people were.

1.Why do the students call their teacher “tree-hugger”?

A. She likes hugging trees.

B. She knows a lot about trees.

C. She grew up in the countryside.

D. She cares a lot about the environment.

2.At the beginning, the author stopped writing _____ .

A. to ask some questions

B. because of other kids’ comments

C. to listen to the teacher’s instructions

D. because he had no idea about the topic

3.The underlined word “astounded” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by “_____” .

A. helped B. changed

C. shocked D. interested

4.Paragraph 5 is mainly about _____ .

A. what we can recycle

B. how we can save the earth

C. why we should protect the earth

D. what damage we are doing to the earth

5.We can infer from the passage that _____ .

A. the students don’t like the teacher

B. the teacher liked the author’s essay

C. the author is ashamed of being a tree-hugger

D. the author should have written a better essay

The Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle is a park on the central California coast and a National Historic Landmark. It was designed by Julia Morgan for William Randolph Hearst from 1919 until 1947. In 1957, the owner donated the fortune to the state of California. Since that time it has been a state historic park where its large collection of art and antiques are open for public tours. Despite its location far from any urban center, the site attracts roughly one million visitors per year.

Guided Tours

• Tour One is recommended for first time visitors. It now includes the movie, Hearst Castle Building the Dream.

• Tour Two gives visitors a closer look at the main house's upper floors, Mr. Hearst's private suite, the libraries, and the kitchen.

• Tour Three looks at the Castle's North Wing, guest rooms and guest house Casa Del Monte.

• Tour Four includes the impressive gardens and grounds, the largest guesthouse, the wine basement, and the Hidden Terrace.

• The evening tour is a special tour that allows visitors to experience the Castle at night as one of the Hearst's own visitors might have.

Ticket Prices

Hearst Castle accepts VISA, Master Card, American Express and Discover. Free day use parking is available for automobiles, motorcycles, tour buses and recreational vehicles.

* Children under 6 are free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Reservation (预订）Information

While tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Center upon arrival, tour reservations can be made online now or by calling 1-800-444-4445, see below for times.

Visit www.hearstcastle.org for more information.

1.Who does the Hearst Castle belong to at present?

A. William Randolph Hearst. B. Julia Morgan.

C. The Hearst Corporation. D. The state of California.

2.If you are quite interested in wine, which tour will you choose?

A. Tour One. B. Tour Two.

C. Tour Three. D. Tour Four.

3.If a couple take Tour One with their 5-year-old son, how much will they pay for the tickets?

A. 36. B. 48

C. 60. D. 75.

4.Which of the following is the available time to book tickets by phone?

A. At 8 am on Monday in February. B. At 9 am on Sunday in March.

C. At 7 pm on Friday in September. D. At 6 pm on Saturday in October.